Following God isn't easy, and for whatever reason, sometimes we just don't feel like following God at the moment. Recently, I was in a team meeting for Impact, and as we were all talking, I started warning our team to be mindful of spiritual warfare. And the reason why is because our channel seems to be blessing a lot of people in their walk with God, and whenever we do something for God, there's bound to be pushback from the enemy.
And during our meeting, I felt that it was necessary for me to be honest, and I told them that I was tired and felt spiritually dry. For me personally, I find myself a lot of times in leadership positions, and the more I help people and give my energy, efforts, and time to them, many times I feel like putting God on hold, and then I'll choose not to read and to pray. So I think it's fair to say that many of us can reach a similar place where our relationship with God is put on hold.
And sometimes our reasons for being unmotivated vary, so whether you're hurt or feel defeated or just lousy, I hope you can find encouragement in one of these seven points. Hey Impact family, thanks for watching our videos. If you haven't already, please consider liking and subscribing.
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We're calling this Impact Shoto-Zutsu. I love this because in Japan where some of our team lives, this phrase can be translated "little by little. " The goal is to remind people that in order to make an impact on the people around them, they need to focus on taking small steps in their walk with God.
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We have some great looking designs that look awesome as stickers, pins, magnets, and even phone cases. We're also starting to roll out some of our awesome looking thumbnail designs for various products as well, so be on the lookout for those. Those will be dropping pretty soon.
Okay, back to the video. Point number one. If you feel like you messed everything up, keep going.
Exodus chapter 2 verse 10. "And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son, so she called his name Moses. " In this passage, we learn about Moses, who would one day become the leader of Israel, who will free the Israelites from the Egyptians.
And Moses' life was one full of accomplishments. He was the one who God used to bring the 10 miraculous plagues on Egypt, and God also used Moses to bring God's law to the people of Israel. But despite all the pluses in Moses' life, it did not mean that he lacked failure.
According to Acts chapter 7 verses 23 to 24, we see that Moses was about 40 years old when he murdered an Egyptian. So Moses fled and ran away, and according to Acts chapter 7 verse 30, it says that 40 years passed before God spoke to him again in the burning bush. So look at that timeline.
Moses murders a man, runs away, and lives for 40 years before God said anything to him again. And on top of that, one day while the people of Israel were wandering in the wilderness, Moses got so angry with God's people that God essentially told Moses that he went too far with his anger, and so God forbid Moses from entering the promised land. You know, I think many times when we follow God, we can think that because we messed up, we don't deserve to follow him anymore.
But the reality is that God already knows how messed up we are, but that does not change God's love for us. So if you feel like you really messed up, I would encourage you to look at Moses' life and to keep going. Because despite the fact that Moses had failures, God still used him, and I know that God can still use you.
Point number two. If you feel like you're too far gone, keep going. Joshua chapter 2 verse 1.
"Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly saying, "Go view the land, especially Jericho. " So they went and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab and lodged there. " In this passage, we read about Moses' successor Joshua.
And Joshua sent two spies to do some reconnaissance and get more information about the land. And as they entered Jericho, the spies stayed at the house of a harlot named Rahab. And as a harlot, she essentially was a prostitute or someone who had sex for money.
And as these spies stayed at her house, she pleaded for her life and asked that the people of Israel would spare her and her family because she knew that the God of Israel will soon lay waste to Jericho. So note here that Rahab exercised faith in the one true God. And if you look at Matthew chapter 1 verse 5, Rahab is included in the genealogy of Jesus.
So I think sometimes one of the reasons why we don't follow God is because we feel like we're too far gone. And we didn't make one bad decision. We've made countless ones.
And our whole lifestyle is far from God. So if this is the case with you, remember Rahab and keep going. Because despite her flawed and past full of sin, God not only saved her and her family, he also brought her into Jesus's own lineage.
So if God had a plan to bring back Rahab, he has a plan that he'd like to accomplish through you two. Point number three, if you feel like you can't keep going, keep going. First Kings chapter 18 verse 17.
"Then it happened when Ahab saw Elijah that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, O troubler of Israel? " In this passage, we read of the prophet Elijah and the king of Israel at the time called Elijah a troubler of Israel. So for those of you who don't know, Elijah was a man used by God to bring judgment upon Israel for their sinful ways.
And King Ahab and his queen Jezebel were evil rulers that both sought to kill Elijah. And one day after Elijah successfully defeated the prophets of Baal, Jezebel sends a messenger to him saying that she'll do everything she can to make sure that he's dead. And Elijah runs for his life.
Because Jezebel commanded a military to hunt and take him out, and after running all day, Elijah prays to God and asks God to kill him. And you might think that's not a big deal, but Elijah knows that God answers his prayers. Because not too long ago, Elijah's prayer brought down literal fire from heaven.
So when Elijah asks God to take his life, there was a strong possibility that God would do what Elijah asked, because it seems as if God always answered his prayers. However, God did not take his life that day. Instead, he brought Elijah to a place of rest, and Elijah napped and was fed by God, and then he was brought to a place where he was able to hear God.
And once he was there, God comforted Elijah by saying that he wasn't alone. So sometimes one of the reasons why we don't follow God is because like Elijah, we're exhausted. We give people our time, our strength, and sometimes we just don't have anything left to give God.
And if that's the case with you, remember Elijah and keep going. You see, just because you feel tired now, doesn't mean you'll always feel tired. So learn from Elijah's case and recover your body.
And for you, that might mean sleep more, get some food, and position yourself so that you can hear God. And then remember that you're not alone in your struggles. So take things one step at a time.
I know that sometimes what we need to do to move forward is needed rest, and some company that understands how we feel. Point number four. If you feel like there's no end to your hurt, keep going.
Job chapter one, verses one to two. "There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil, and seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
In this passage, we learn of a man named Job. And for those of you who don't know, Job's account is arguably the most tragic one in the entire Bible, aside from the death of Jesus. And Job was a man who honored and served God, and was soon attacked by Satan himself personally.
And through that attack, Job ended up losing his health, and was covered with painful boils all around his body. He lost his wealth because his servants and all his livestock were either stolen or destroyed, and his most painful loss. His seven sons and three daughters all died, and Job and his wife attended their funerals.
" What happened to Job is one of those passages that's the hardest to understand. But honestly, I believe that Job's account is one that I believe has inspired the faith of millions of Christians afterwards. Because Job was someone who lost it all, yet he still followed God.
Now God did restore Job and gave him more than what he originally had, but I should note that Job was just a man who was hurt in more ways than we could understand, and was restored slowly over time. And from what I've experienced in my life, I have seen that pain brings greater weight to joy. And I feel like more people can appreciate more of their life when they understand what life is actually worth.
So if you're someone who feels pain, and you feel like it won't stop, remember Job, and keep going. And while I can't understand what you're going through, please know that God sees you. And like Romans 8, 28 says, "God will make all things work together for good to those who love him.
" Point number five, if you feel like no one understands you, keep going. Matthew chapter one verse 18, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
" In this passage, we read of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and she became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. And this is one of those mysteries in the Bible, because as a virgin who never had sexual relations with anyone at the time, Mary still got pregnant. So can you imagine the confusion she felt when she realized there was a baby growing within her?
Being a virgin upon getting married was a huge deal in their culture back then. So can you imagine how she'd feel when her fiance saw that she was pregnant? And on top of that, it was clear that she wasn't married.
So she probably felt ostracized and singled out as her belly started growing. So I should mention here that sometimes following God makes you look different. And it's sometimes to the point where we feel like no one understands our unique struggles.
Moses was alone on the mountain. Joseph was alone in a prison. And Mary was alone facing pregnancy.
And all of these people faced these uncomfortable circumstances because they followed God. So if you ever feel like you're treated differently for following God, and that no one understands you, remember Mary. And know that God understands your situation, and that He's leading you to a particular place for a specific reason.
Point number six, if you feel like you're not going anywhere, keep going. Genesis chapter 37 verse three. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son of his old age.
Also, he made him a tunic of many colors. In this passage, we learn about Joseph, who was one of the 12 sons of Jacob, and he was well loved by his father. However, Joseph's brothers hated him, and then they sold him into slavery, and Joseph was forced to work for a man named Potiphar.
And as Joseph worked, Potiphar's wife was attracted to Joseph, and she tried to convince Joseph to lay with her, but he refused over and over again. But then one day, it got to a point where Potiphar's wife caught Joseph by surprise, and essentially forced herself on Joseph, but Joseph ran away refusing to have sex with her. And the sad thing is that despite Joseph's integrity to do what was right, Joseph was sent to prison, and he was there for at least two years.
So can you imagine that? Joseph spent over 700 days in prison for doing the right thing. However, I should add that while it looked like Joseph was just wasting time in prison, the reality was that God was using that time to teach Joseph patience and to grow his character.
So, one other reason that we may have for not following God is because it may feel like nothing is happening when we do follow God, or it feels like we're wasting time. But honestly, sometimes our walk with God is exactly that. A walk.
And walks are slow, and maybe even repetitive. But sometimes, that's the path that God has for us, because in the same way that the Israelites had to struggle in the wilderness, and that Joseph had to wait in jail, it may be that God is trying to grow our character before he brings us to the next chapter in our life. So if you feel like you're in this place and you feel like you're not going anywhere, remember Joseph.
And keep going. And finally, point number seven. If you feel like God left you, keep going.
Hebrews chapter 13 verse 5. "Let your conduct be without covetousness, be content with such things as you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. " In this passage, the author of Hebrews reminds Christians that God has said to his people that he will never leave them nor forsake them.
So I think that sometimes we can all reach a place where we feel like God has left us. But the truth is that God is probably just quiet. If you recall in Mark chapter 4 verses 35 to 40, while Jesus and his disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee by boat, a storm hit them.
And while the disciples were freaking out due to the waves pummeling their boat and water filling their boat and the wind and water hitting their faces, Jesus was there peacefully asleep. So they woke him up and cried, "Teacher, don't you care about us? " And then Jesus stopped the storm and then he asked the disciples why they were fearful.
So for you, if you feel like God is far, he's not. He's actually just quiet. And he's either quiet because he's teaching you to have faith, or maybe you can't hear him because you haven't taken the time to listen to his voice.
Either way, the truth that all of God's children must remember is that God will never leave them. So if you feel like God left you, remember the disciples on the boat and realize that God is always there. Sometimes he's just quiet because he's trying to teach you something.
Okay? So if you're someone who feels like following God is difficult, I hope that you can find encouragement in one of these seven points. So if you feel like you messed everything up, if you feel like you're gone too far, if you feel like you can't keep going, if you feel like there's no end to your hurt, if you feel like no one understands you, if you feel like you're not going anywhere, or if you feel like God left you, please keep going.
I know sometimes our emotions feel heavy, so heavy that it's hard to do anything. But during these moments, I hope you remember the truth of God's word and that you're reminded that people in the past have felt what you feel too. And through their life and their example, I hope you can find the courage to keep moving forward one step at a time.
So as you work to overcome your hurt, exhaustion, or your failures, I hope you remember that no matter what, Jesus loves you. I also want to give a huge shout out to our team listed below. Their hard work makes this whole thing possible, so give them some love.
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